Open mics (slowly improving)

[West R Lee]

Sure are a lot of old timers (like us) playing acoustic Guilds in your circle Mark. Great to see.

West

 

[ce blues]

yup, lots of us geezers! (ain't it just so cool!) actually, it is very cool that so many of us are still out there hammering away at our craft--only one band member is under 60 (not me, unfortunately)--yet we still manage to write, record and perform in addition to holding down a day gig that pays the bills and feeds the cats.

Gary (our bass player) is playing one of the Carvin acoustic-electric basses through the 200 watt, three-channel Carvin acoustic amplifier. being a techie, I am underwhelmed by Carvin's use of printed circuit boards in their tube amps but those folks do build some very nice instruments (I'm currently GASsing for their new semi-hollow, single cut guitar... "...next year: Jerusalem...").

ce

addendum....you got our name exactly right, again many thanks--ce

 

[West R Lee]

CE,

Here's one of the youngsters I play with most of the time I play out. Still going strong at 83. If this doesn't make you optimistic about playing at our age, nothing will.

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7893

West

 

[ce blues]

West,
I can only say that "optimistic" doesn't begin to describe the hopeful feelings that result from seeing living proof that there is rich musical life after 70! The one thing I constantly wish/pray for is that I will retain my skill thus making my dotage truly the oft-promised (but seldom delivered) "golden years" of popular mythology. Life of late is a constant battle with arthritus in my fingers and tendonitus in my left wrist and right/left elbows.... exercise, modern herbal-pharmacological "promises" and boring diet are what I use to retard my physical deterioration... but denial of the debilitation's progress seems an uphill battle that I am destined to lose sooner rather than later. take care, my friend

ce

 

[JerryR]

Mike Scott: This old geezer (well - only about 3 years older than me really) writes and performs his own stuff and regularly sings in the places I do. Unfortunately still only has 4 songs on his site (but has recorded about 6 CDs), some of the stuff he writes is really witty, and one of his newest songs (not yet on the site) is called "Old Guys still doing it" - about ageing performers. Might get on his site yet, so here's a link..

http://www.myspace.com/bristolsmikescott

 

[West R Lee]

West,
I can only say that "optimistic" doesn't begin to describe the hopeful feelings that result from seeing living proof that there is rich musical life after 70! The one thing I constantly wish/pray for is that I will retain my skill thus making my dotage truly the oft-promised (but seldom delivered) "golden years" of popular mythology. Life of late is a constant battle with arthritus in my fingers and tendonitus in my left wrist and right/left elbows.... exercise, modern herbal-pharmacological "promises" and boring diet are what I use to retard my physical deterioration... but denial of the debilitation's progress seems an uphill battle that I am destined to lose sooner rather than later. take care, my friend

ce

And you are in mine CE.

West

 

[ce blues]

friends,

I had a horrible scare this last week. I had a tire go flat on the freeway at 2 AM early thursday morning after playing a gig in Long Beach. While mounting my spare my jack sort of "exploded" and the handle bounced out and smashed me on the right shoulder/ball joint. I woke up thursday morning completely unable to move my right arm and in a massive amount of pain from any slight movement or jostle of my damaged joint.

obviously, my gigs for thursday and sunday nights were completely out of the question (I couldn't even get my obese Gibson GA 30RV Super Goldtone amplifier out of my trunk--it weighs in at a trim 83-lbs--until my neighbor bailed me out yesterday afternoon). After a visit to the ER on Friday, it was determined that the joint wasn't broken....merely a severly bruised bone and traumatized tissues in the surround that would have to shrink down before I could begin to use my right arm again.....trust me, I was terrified before going to a doc that I might have permanently ended my guitar-picking days. still, most of my commitments this week were cancelled or a substitute guitarist-singer was found to fill in for me.

I worked through the pain yesterday so that I might begin to use the useless limb by tuesday of this week when my trio has a dress rehearsal prior to playing a scheduled sunday afternoon gig in yorba linda. I am happy to report that though painful as anything I've experienced recently, I have regained enough mobility to be able to do the tuesday rehearsal, gigs on wednesday-thursday and 2 gigs on sunday (a trio afternoon in yorba linda and evening with my electric quintet in monrovia). that was a close one, guys! and it is those kinds of accidents where one confronts the very real possibility of losing one's musical gift forever... it is those times when we really KNOW what a gift it is to be able to make music (yes, I know we all study hard, practice and spend dedicated years getting here BUT, the initial impetus is a "gift" and an "opportunity" that not all of us are granted. we are very lucky people.... and it is times like these that I really appreciate just how lucky and blessed I have been to have had music in my life since I was a lad.

sorry, if I sound preachy.... I'm just feeling really grateful at the moment.

ce blues

 

[West R Lee]

Doesn't sound one bit "preachy" to me CE. I'd be very thankful too. That thing could have easily hit you in the face. So glad you're ok.

West

 

[Graham]

All the best for a full recovery ce.

 

[Default]

Doesn't sound one bit "preachy" to me CE. I'd be very thankful too. That thing could have easily hit you in the face. So glad you're ok.

West

Car could have landed on your head, too.
Lotta things to be grateful about.

 

[Guildmark]

I had a horrible scare this last week. I had a tire go flat on the freeway at 2 AM early thursday morning after playing a gig in Long Beach.

Could've been worse, Ed. You might have been an oboe player and not had the gig in the first place. :wink:

 

[ce blues]

I hadn't thought of that, Mark. And people tell me that I'm over-dressed when I go out to work as a guitarist; I can't imagine wearing a tux to a philharmonic gig (only working oboe players I can even conceive).... on the other hand, it would just be the one instrument case and no overweight amplifiers and multiple guitar cases. that would definitely be an upside to being an oboe player; I think I could get into just humping one instrument case and a sheaf of charts to my next gig...... naw, I can't imagine NOT being a guitarist. Even with the downside of too much gear it is still the best job in the world (IMHO); and if I ever become "successful" there will be people to hump and set up all that heavy gear.

I was at MoPhat for about an hour last tuesday but hunger and sleep deprivation forced me to go home at 8:30, so I missed you. As it turned out, I don't require the services of a luthier to install my new Fishman "Ellipse Matrix Blender" system on the D30. I tackled the job myself last night/this early AM (after playing in LOng Beach again--no flat tires or serious injuries this time out!) and I think it turned out really nice. I am really enthusiastic about new sound of the D30 after replacing that mini-condenser mic with a blended, dual pickup system (mic and undersaddle transducer mixed through on-board preamplifier).

amplified, the guitar sounds like its old self again.....previously the mini mic only picked up the low frequencies and mechanical player-noises (pick, finger-string noise, etc.). the addition of the transducer brings the high frequency tones back into the amplified output and the preamp mixes the two souces to give a very realistic acoustic guitar sound. I'm also really happy with my new ability to adjust both volume and tonal voicing at the guitar with only a fingertip instead of a trip back to the amplifier.....the preamp also has phase-cancellation for the mini condenser mic which helps control the feedback problem I had with the other system. all in all, I am really happy that I decided to go ahead and do it myself (my main motivation was the fact that I have two acoustic gigs over the next week and I wanted the upgrade without paying a premium for having a 24-hour turnaround time on the installation with my regular guy.)

have any of you folk noticed my tendency to "prattle" forever in my posts? hope I see you next sunday, Mark ....the downside to next sunday as a gig-date hit me this morning. Sunday is Mother's Day, I wonder if that will hurt our drawing power?

ce

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

Most people take their Mom's OUT somewhere...you could have quite a crowd.

Too far for me in my van that's old enough to vote...and the price of gas.

Trying to make it back one Tuesday for the open mic

Nice there's another Guilder there!

And welcome to LTG.

 

[JerryR]

I hadn't thought of that, Mark. And people tell me that I'm over-dressed when I go out to work as a guitarist; I can't imagine wearing a tux to a philharmonic gig (only working oboe players I can even conceive).... on the other hand, it would just be the one instrument case and no overweight amplifiers and multiple guitar cases. that would definitely be an upside to being an oboe player; I think I could get into just humping one instrument case and a sheaf of charts to my next gig...... naw, I can't imagine NOT being a guitarist. Even with the downside of too much gear it is still the best job in the world (IMHO); and if I ever become "successful" there will be people to hump and set up all that heavy gear.

I was at MoPhat for about an hour last tuesday but hunger and sleep deprivation forced me to go home at 8:30, so I missed you. As it turned out, I don't require the services of a luthier to install my new Fishman "Ellipse Matrix Blender" system on the D30. I tackled the job myself last night/this early AM (after playing in LOng Beach again--no flat tires or serious injuries this time out!) and I think it turned out really nice. I am really enthusiastic about new sound of the D30 after replacing that mini-condenser mic with a blended, dual pickup system (mic and undersaddle transducer mixed through on-board preamplifier).

amplified, the guitar sounds like its old self again.....previously the mini mic only picked up the low frequencies and mechanical player-noises (pick, finger-string noise, etc.). the addition of the transducer brings the high frequency tones back into the amplified output and the preamp mixes the two souces to give a very realistic acoustic guitar sound. I'm also really happy with my new ability to adjust both volume and tonal voicing at the guitar with only a fingertip instead of a trip back to the amplifier.....the preamp also has phase-cancellation for the mini condenser mic which helps control the feedback problem I had with the other system. all in all, I am really happy that I decided to go ahead and do it myself (my main motivation was the fact that I have two acoustic gigs over the next week and I wanted the upgrade without paying a premium for having a 24-hour turnaround time on the installation with my regular guy.)

have any of you folk noticed my tendency to "prattle" forever in my posts? hope I see you next sunday, Mark ....the downside to next sunday as a gig-date hit me this morning. Sunday is Mother's Day, I wonder if that will hurt our drawing power?

ce

If you talk as much in your song intros - you won't get many done :wink:

 

[ce blues]

ya got me, Jerry..... I am a chronic motor-mouth and am usually only allowed near the microphone to sing. If I even appear to contemplate talking to the audience our harmonica player has the radio-trigger to a shock collar I'm forced to wear when we play. if I utter one word past "thank you" at the conclusion of one of my songs its the old zap-box that brings me back to reality and a sphynx-like countenance.

ce

 

[JerryR]

ya got me, Jerry..... I am a chronic motor-mouth and am usually only allowed near the microphone to sing. If I even appear to contemplate talking to the audience our harmonica player has the radio-trigger to a shock collar I'm forced to wear when we play. if I utter one word past "thank you" at the conclusion of one of my songs its the old zap-box that brings me back to reality and a sphynx-like countenance.

ce

We have some players who are never ready - called to sing they go to the other end of the room to take their guitar outa the case then do a long intro as they're putting straps on, tuning etc. One guy in particular called Joe added to this saying he'd gotten a new super duper capo to replace his Kyser. Started doing up lots of little screws 'n things to fit it perfectly, saying how much better it was than the Kyser. Jeff (always ready to sing with tuned guitar waiting on his stand) was heard to mutter 'Kyser wuz too quick, wuz it? :mrgreen: (I linked a thread to Jeff's site, singing 'Handful of dust' and 'Mad world' a while back.)

 

[fungusyoung]

ya got me, Jerry..... I am a chronic motor-mouth and am usually only allowed near the microphone to sing. If I even appear to contemplate talking to the audience our harmonica player has the radio-trigger to a shock collar I'm forced to wear when we play. if I utter one word past "thank you" at the conclusion of one of my songs its the old zap-box that brings me back to reality and a sphynx-like countenance.

ce

This is hilarious. Sounds like you guys in the band know and handle each other well!

 

[ce blues]

Dear GuildFS4612CE,
for the record, Mother's Day was not kind to the Robert Garrett Trio. We had a very small (but also very appreciative) house. oh well, I'm sure next saturday's gig at McClain's in Fullerton will be much better. regards,

ce

BTW, I got through 2 sets with only one triggering of the shock collar. a record, I think.

 

[JerryR]

Dear GuildFS4612CE,
for the record, Mother's Day was not kind to the Robert Garrett Trio. We had a very small (but also very appreciative) house. oh well, I'm sure next saturday's gig at McClain's in Fullerton will be much better. regards,

ce

BTW, I got through 2 sets with only one triggering of the shock collar. a record, I think.

:mrgreen:

 

[ce blues]

Mark,

tonight Bob (the harp player) and I are coming down to the coffee house to do a few tunes in the rotation at MoPhat open mic night. Hope we see you there....you'll be able to hear the huge difference the Fishman Ellipse Blended system has made in the output of my D30 with the astoundingly beautiful arched maple back (and sides?...truthfully, I don't know the spec's for a Guild D30 and, unfortunately, I don't own a copy of Hans' Guild-bible, so I can't look it up... Is there, perhaps, a website that tells the physical details of each of the models manufactured in Rhode Island?). the addition of a transducer under the bridge and blending the output from both mic and x-ducer has really helped make my Guild attain an amplified sound that compares quite favorably to its natural voice when played unamplified.

any input on the above questions would be gratefully appreciated,

ce